What happened
On June 22, 2003, at approximately 12:00 local time, a PIPER PA-25-235, registration EC-BCG, was conducting agricultural spraying operations over a rice field in the municipality of Villar de Rena, Badajoz. The aircraft had departed from a temporary dirt runway located about 4 kilometers from the site. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was carrying 350 kilograms of granular product and approximately 15 gallons of fuel.
As the pilot approached the target plot for the first time that day, the aircraft entered a steep dive and struck an adjacent field at an angle of approximately 60 degrees to the horizontal. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft, including the destruction of the fuel and product tanks, the separation of the engine, and the failure of the upper wing struts. The pilot sustained serious injuries, specifically fractures to both legs and lung injuries, but remained conscious following the impact.
The investigation
The investigation examined the aircraft wreckage, meteorological data, and witness statements. Witnesses on the ground, including signalmen working in the field, reported that the aircraft approached at an altitude between 3/0 and 50 feet AGL in a normal manner before suddenly pitching down into a dive while the engine continued to run.
Technical inspection of the wreckage revealed that the elevator trim was found near its maximum nose-up position. The propeller showed damage consistent with the engine delivering power at the moment of impact. Investigators also noted that the aircraft was operating at its maximum weight limit due to the combination of the heavy chemical load and the fuel weight.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at its maximum weight limit due to the 350 kg of product and 15 gallons of fuel.
- The pilot was performing an alignment maneuver to line up with the target plot.
- The aircraft entered a stall during this alignment maneuver.
- The low altitude (30 to 50 feet AGL) prevented the pilot from recovering from the stall once it occurred.